The Name Above All Names

Luke 1:57-66, 80

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.

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It’s very exciting when folks are Blessed with a pregnancy!  There are all kinds of discussions and wagers around the gender of the baby, the delivery date, the delivery birth weight and height, etc.  But, when it comes to the potential name of the Child, that’s where the biggest debates are sometimes found.  Parents, Grandparents, Family, Friends, and even Strangers can all can have very strong opinions on baby names for a variety of reasons.  And, it’s not always just the names; often it’s how the name is spelled, as well.  Regardless of what name gets chosen, the process of finalizing a name for a Child can be an interesting journey for all involved.  That’s where we find Elizabeth and Zechariah upon the birth of their Son.  They were told by the Holy Spirit that their Son’s name needed to be John and Zechariah had already been punished (losing his voice) for questioning God’s desires.  He wouldn’t question God again on this matter.  He and Elizabeth were naming their Son John and that was final.  Recently, we talked about the Power in names and it can be a really fun exercise to remember what our names mean.  God speaks to us when we’re naming our own Children; just as He did with Elizabeth, Zechariah, and Mary, the Mother of Jesus.  Jesus’ name is “the name above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth”.  Philippians 2:9-10  So, I would encourage us all to listen for God’s voice and guidance and then be obedient for what He asks of us.  And, if you find yourself needing immediate help, guidance, love, etc. in anything at any time, just say, “Jesus”, and He will come to you.  There is Power in the name of Jesus and our calls-out to Him echo through Eternity.  So, just say, “Jesus”, and let the Good, Good Father do what only He can do in our lives.  He’s already won the war for us and all that we need to do is Trust in Him.